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China to Forbid Anonymous Blogging

China to Forbid Anonymous Blogging

The Xinhua news agency reports (via AP) that the Chinese government's Internet Society of China will "require bloggers register with authorities under their real names."

It is well-settled in the United States that the First Amendment shelters the right to blog anonymously. The US Supreme Court has found that anonymity is necessary for free speech because forced "identification and fear of reprisal might deter perfectly peaceful discussions of public matters of importance." The Chinese move appears to be designed exactly to deter such peaceful discussions.

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